Predilection
by dizziified
Summary: With graduation, they parted, never expecting to see each other again. However, their story was far from over as war brought them together once again. But fate was cruel for instead of being comrades like before, they were now the gravest of enemies. DS
1. Prologue

**AN:** Sorry for my disappearance, guys. I've been busy with Intel, college applications,  
and etc. I'm also stuck on _Love on the Catwalk _and so, I'm starting a new fic to get my  
creativity going. Don't worry; I'm working on _LotC_ on the side—but only bit by bit as the  
inspiration comes. I hope you enjoy reading this one; I've been tossing it back and  
forth in my mind for a while now. Actually, I've got a lot of plots lined up and ready to  
be written… but this one won. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon**

* * *

**Predilection**  
dizziified // limguine livejournal . com

* * *

Her feet hurt. 

That was the only thought running through her head at the moment. Trying to hide her  
discomfort, she began to absentmindedly shift her weight from one leg to another while  
nodding to some comment that a girl had made a second before.

What were they talking about again?

"I had a little… _collision_ with him in the corridor," Anne purred suggestively, hardly trying  
to control her wanton grin.

Mina let out an exaggerated gasp. "You little _slut_!—what happened?"

Not one to be direct, Annepaused to lean in, beckoning for others to do the same.  
When they did, she smirked before whispering, "Darien Shields is _all _man."

"You didn't," Rei scoffed, but you could still hear a hesitant 'did you?' in her wake.

Anne simply raised an amused eyebrow before shrugging and leaning back to her  
normal position.

Shrieks ensued.

Naturally, Serenadidn't get it. She had never been very into the whole boys and sex  
scene and any "dirty" implication flew right over her head.

She also didn't get how a couple of boys could get these girls so riled up. Serena hadn't  
been able to attend the beginning of the welcoming orientation held for the transfers so  
she didn't see what all the hype was about. It wasn't as if the girls were totally  
isolated from boys for it was really quite the opposite—these girls beautiful and they  
flaunted it; it wasn't a big surprise that boys took notice.

Was Darien and crew really _that _good-looking?

Well, judging by the screeching harpies around her, they were practically God's gift to  
women!

But she wasn't very interested. At the moment, all she was interested in was a way to  
avoid this loud nonsense, high class food, and aching feet.

Slyly eyeing the other people in the ballroom, the blonde was only too happy to find  
that the headmaster was preoccupied with other teachers and that the other students  
were caught up with their own cliques.

With a convincing smile and wave to an imaginary figure across the room, Serena  
excused herself from the circle and made her way towards the kitchen entrance. No  
one even noticed when she slipped out, the door flapping after her.

The kitchen was more hectic than she expected it to be. Apron-donned chefs were  
loading trays for servers and champagne flutes clinked together as they met the lips of  
glass bottles.

"Serena, what are you doing here?"

Said girl whipped around with a big smile, immediately recognizing the slightly French-  
accented English. "Monsieur Théodore!"

"Uh uh," the man tutted when Serena held out her arms for a hug. "Wouldn't want to  
ruin your pretty dress, now would we?"

Serena giggled and grabbed a grape from a passing server's platter. Plopping it in her  
mouth, she leaned onto a counter and started to take off her heels.

"You didn't answer the question," Théodore said as he counted up all the trays.

"I'm sneaking out," Serena replied in a loud whisper. "You never saw me."

The head chef threw the girl a disapproving frown. "One of these days, you're going to  
get caught and I'm _not_ going to help you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied, now an inch shorter. "See you later, Théo."

She managed to land an air-kiss without touching him and to this, the man smiled. "Be  
careful, Serena."

"When am I not?" She gave him a playful wink before waltzing towards the door to the  
corridor. When she got to the exit, she turned around. "Au revoir!"

Monsieur Théodorechuckled at her antics and went back to counting. That girl was  
really something else.

Out in the corridor, Serena quickly padded her way through the darkness, her heels  
knocking against each other with each swing. Where was she heading? She wasn't  
very sure yet. All she knew was that she was craving some fattening fast food full of  
grease and transfat. Yum.

Abruptly, she halted. Did she just hear what she thought she…?

"_There was a bird, with a yellow bill_."

"Shit!" she hissed. Oscar was doing rounds. Seeing a flashlight in front of her, she  
whipped around and sped up, holding her shoes so that they wouldn't clack and sliding  
across the floor on her stockings.

'Why did I wear my shiny dress?' She cursed her luck, looking at how what little light  
was in the corridor gleamed off the beads of her dress.

While sliding along, Serenasuddenly bumped into something very solid. And judging  
from the way it grunted, this something was also very human. For a second she  
thought she had run into another guard but found herself looking at a black tuxedo.

'Who is this?' she wondered, not able to make out the figure's face in the darkness.  
She didn't have much time to dwell for Oscar's singing broke her out of her reverie.

"_There was a bird_…."

"Come here," she hissed, hastily pulling him by his jacket to the wall. She wrenched the  
jacket open and turned around, then crossing her arms so that the jacket consumed her.

By some miracle, the boy she had grabbed stayed silent throughout the whole fumble  
and stood with her in silence as Oscar came to pass them.

After Oscar was long gone, the boy spoke up. "I think he's gone now." It was obvious  
that he was very amused.

Serena started at the vibrations the coursed through her back from his voice and  
immediately let go of the fabric in her hands.

Turning around, she gave a sheepish smile—not that he could see it. "Sorry."

He laughed, a deep rumbling filling Serena's ears. "And what are you doing running  
away from a guard in the middle of the night?"

"Nothing," she replied, pushing past him to make her way down the corridor.

"I could report this, you know." His brisk footsteps followed after her.

Serena just kept right on walking. "I could do the same with you."

Suddenly, she felt him grab her arm and gently push her against the wall. Caught off  
guard, Serenastood, a bit shell-shocked. No one had ever handled her that way before.

"What are you doing?" she asked, dismayed at what had happened.

"I think I deserve a prize," he murmured, brushing a tendril of hair out of her face.

Breaking out of her shock, she opened her mouth to retort. "And risk kissing an ugly  
girl?"

"I love a gamble," he said, brushing her cheek with a thumb. He tilted her chin.

"Don't joke around." She waved off his hand. "I'm hideous; and I can't even begin to  
imagine loosing my first kiss to a total stranger."

She pushed past him, continuing on her way.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"What's yours?" she shot back, not turning around.

"Darien," he answered. "Darien Shields."

She paused and turned around. "Darien Shields?"

"Yes," he nodded, a bit uneasily.

Then, she burst out in a fit of silent laughter that left him puzzled but strangely, longing  
for more.

"Well, Darien Shields," she said, mirth still remnant in her tone. "It seems like you'll be a  
mystery to me until tomorrow."

She turned back on her way before abruptly turned around, heels clacking loudly in her  
grasp. "And my name is Serena, Serena Kingston."

Then, gazing at the figure sauntering away from him, the beads of her dress twinkling  
like stars, he murmured, "Nice to meet you… Serena Kingston."

And that was their first encounter.

* * *

**AN: **Thanks for reading, guys. Don't forget to review! Do you like it? Love it? Hate it?  
Aha, well, chapter one will be out soon (as in maybe tomorrow). See ya'll then but for  
now, review! 


	2. Chapter 1

**AN:** Chapter One, guys. Sorry for the delay; my internet was absolutely bonkers. Thanks to **starangel07**, **kurochan**, **anonymous**, and **Twighunter** for reviewing!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon  
**

* * *

**Predilection **

dizziified // limguine at livejournal . com

* * *

"What the hell is this shit?" Kunzite cussed, pulling at the material entrapping him.

It was day two of the new school year and all the fourth years were in the Dome for the  
biannual physical. Everyone had on their physical attire—black racerback bodysuits for  
the girls and knee length ones for boys.

"You didn't have them back at Walden?" Andrew asked before bending forward to reach  
for his toes.

"Obviously not," Zoicite droned, disdainfully eyeing his suit.

"It's made out of AA-fibers," Andrew replied, still stretching. "Body conforming, light,  
temperature resistant… oof! Pretty strong too."

"I feel naked." Zoicite always was a blunt one.

Andrew laughed at the comment as he hefted himself up. "You'll get used to it."

"Already am." Unabashed, Jedeite swung his torso, feeling right at home in his new suit.

Nephrite snorted.

Jedeite turned to the long-haired brunette, arms crossed. "Got something to say,  
Nephles?"

Refusing to resort to childish behaviors, Nephrite just shook his head and turned away.  
Jedeite decided to take it as a win and smirked.

"Thought so."

It was that moment that Darien chose to speak up. "Do you know who Serena Kingston  
is?"

"Who doesn't?" Andrew guffawed.

Having lost interest in his bodysuit, Kunzite leaned over. "The ugly girl?" His words  
caught the interest of the other guys and they all perked an ear.

Andrew furrowed his brows. "The _ugly_ girl?"

"The _hideous_ girl," Nephrite corrected.

Now Andrew looked just all out bewildered. "Serena Kingston?"

"Yeah," Darien nodded. Hadn't he heard him the first time?

Andrew laughed, shaking his head in incredulity. "You guys have a weird definition of  
beauty."

Suddenly, a loud horn sounded, making several Dome inhabitants wince.

"Usagi!" the Dome instructor barked. "Elemental display, front and center."

The boys watched as a rather attractive girl walked to the center of the Dome, tying her  
long blonde hair on the way. When she got to the center, she closed her eyes and took  
a deep calming breath in and out, her forefingers on her lips and her thumbs on her chin.

Darien leaned closer, curious as to what her element was.

'Probably air,' he thought. Most girls like her had that element.

Needless to say, he was a bit startled to see that her eyes flashed white for a moment after she opened them again.

"What the…," Kunzite trailed next to him.

"Just watch." Darien peered over Andrew to see him staring at the "Usagi" girl intently,  
an all-knowing smile gracing his features.

The girl parted her hands and a ball of white light floated above them. She gently blew  
on the sphere and it floated forward to the instructor. Numbers flashed across the  
screen of his Analyzer and when they settled, he grunted.

With that, the elemental sphere blinked out of existence.

"She's a _light _user?" Jedeite whispered, slightly awestruck.

Andrew nodded, still grinning. "The first in more than three hundred years—but that's not all."

All eyes turned back to the light user. While they had been chatting, she had closed her  
eyes again and was now letting out a deep breath. Above her hands, something began  
to crackle… something….

"Is that what I think it is?" Kunzite loudly whispered, just short of the volume of his normal voice.

The moment he said it, the sphere burst to life in an array of cosmic colors. It stayed in  
its place, amoeboid in shape, until the girl blew on it as she had with her light sphere.

"She's an æther user," Zoicite mused. Nephrite took a side glance at Darien to find him  
with a spark of intrigue in his eye.

"Who is she?" Darien asked, tone slightly urgent. All turned to Andrew expectantly.

The boy smirked. "That, my friends, is Serena Kingston—codename Usagi."

Jediete let out a low whistle, turning back to her retreating form. "Well if she's hideous,  
I'd _love_ to see what a fucking knockout looks like."

Before the others could audibly concur, Darien began to laugh—really _really _laugh. It  
wasn't a chuckle or a snigger but a shoulder-shaking laugh that made barely any sound.

The transfers eyed him bizarrely and Andrew titled his head in curiosity.

Darien Shields _never _laughs—not like this anyway.

"Serena Kingston," Darien murmured when he came back to his senses, flashing his eyes over her form and drinking her in. "Hideous my ass."

The elemental was a bombshell—probably one of the most beautiful women he had  
seen in his life. Thinking about what she had said the night before, he couldn't tell  
whether she was humble or insecure or just very _very _blind.

But that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that she was a light and, more  
importantly, an æther user.

He shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. Fate really had a unique sense of humor.

"You okay?" Andrew asked, breaking Darien out of his reverie.

Darien nodded, reverting gaze away from the Serena, who was now carrying out the  
agility portion of the physical. "Things are gonna be really interesting around here."

* * *

"Ooh my God!" Anne shouted, shaking herself as tingles ran down her length. "I'm still  
trembling. That look was so…."

"Fucking hot," Rei filled in with a wicked smirk.

Serena rolled her eyes. "You guys are so lewd."

Mina snorted and brushed her off. "Whatever, Serena. It was totally hot and even you  
can't deny that."

Serena begged to differ.

"It was weird. I felt like he was going to eat me or something."

"I wouldn't mind if he did," Anne purred, her vulgar comment bringing out a bout of  
laughter and shrieks.

Once again, Serena didn't get it; but she was pretty sure she was better off not  
knowing what Anne had meant.

The transfers had been the last to take their physical and at first, everything was  
normal. Kunzite used air, Jedeite fire, Zoicite water, and Nephrite earth. Darien Shields  
was the last to go and that was when things got… _different_.

He used darkness... _and _æther.

And who can forget the look?

The moment he finished his elemental display, he turned to the girls and gave a look so  
carnal, so "hot", that it sent shivers down their spines.

Well, most of their spines anyway.

Afterwards, he turned away and went back to finish his physical, as if nothing had  
happened.

"Anyway," Serena started loudly, hinting for the girls to stop their fussing. When they  
calmed down, she continued. "I never knew there was another æther user out there."

"Or darkness," Mina added. "He must be the first darkness user in like what, four  
hundred years?"

"Three hundred," Rei corrected. "It's been over three hundred years."

She then turned to Serena, her expression somber. "He's strong—really strong.  
Probably stronger than you."

"Oh, loosen up, Rei." Anne raked her hands through her red hair. "He's strong; big deal."

Rei shot Anne a stern look. "Shut up, Anne."

Anne chose to laugh it off. "Love you, too."

Letting out an aggravated sigh, Rei skillfully flicked Anne off. Turning to the other girls  
she said, "I have to finish my summer homework. I'll be in the library if you need me."

"Oh, me too!" Mina quipped. "I have soooo much left to do. You'll help me, right Rei?"

Rei sighed, already walking away. "You better not have as much left as last time."

"I don't!" Mina cried indignantly, jogging after her. She turned to wave goodbye.

"Toodles, Serena, Anne."

"Bye." Serena waved back and turned to Anne. "Good luck."

"Later, babe," Anne said before slinking away.

Serena giggled. It was always the same. There were no classes during physical  
examination days and they all took advantage of it. Rei finished the bit of homework  
she put off over the summer and Mina tagged along, begging Rei to let her copy the  
homework they had from the same classes. Anne went boy hunting and every year,  
she came back to their dorm room with several love bites on her neck.

And what of Serena? Well, she went to the garden.

* * *

"So please tell me, tell me," Serena sang, her eyes shut as she gently pushed off from  
the stone beneath her, adding momentum to the wooden patio swing.

It felt good to be in the garden; it was where she went to to get away from the world.  
The garden was one of the only quiet places in the whole academy—no one really cared  
for it with the common room and the game room around. Well, all the better for her.

"Tell me that I'm beautiful," she continued.

"You're beautiful."

Serena's eyes snapped open and her whole body jumped in surprise, nearly knocking  
the whole swing over.

"Whoa there," Darien said as he steadied the swing by grabbing onto its side.

"Wha—what are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly, her heart beating  
uncontrollably from the adrenaline rush. No one ever came to the garden.

Darien smirked. "Your friend told me you were probably out here."

"Did she?" Serena asked, bending her knees and hugging her legs as if to get as far  
away from him as possible. He didn't seem to notice her discomfort because he sat  
down beside to her… at least, she _thought _he didn't.

"He," he corrected.

"Excuse me?" He?

"He," Darien repeated. "Andrew Warren told me you always go out to the garden."

Serena blinked. Andrew Warren? "Who?"

Darien was clearly amused. "Too popular to know all your friends' names?"

"I don't even talk to boys," Serena snapped. "I only talk to Rei, Mina, and Anne."

Darien ignored her tone and grinned. "I guess that makes me pretty special."

Serena opened her mouth to retort but closed it again and turned away from him; it  
was best to just ignore him and not egg him on.

She was wrong.

Darien didn't go away and he didn't even act disturbed by her silent treatment. He  
gently swung them with one foot and they sat in a semi-comfortable/semi-awkward  
silence.

"I was telling the truth," he finally spoke up after several minutes. She looked to him,  
despite herself.

"You really are beautiful," he clarified, turning to her as he said so.

She guffawed at the cheesy line. But in all honesty, it didn't sound as tacky as it could  
have been, coming from him.

"You probably say that to all the girls," she whispered, turning her head in place and  
resting it on her knees. Her hair cascaded down from over her shoulders and covered  
most of her face from Darien's view.

"Maybe," he teased lightly before falling into a more familiar, silent demeanor. He  
leaned over and tucked her hair behind her ear, making Serena look up at him  
questioningly.

The moment their eyes met, it felt like an electric current had run through both their  
bodies.

Serena cleared her throat, effectively ruining the moment, and looked away,  
uncomfortable with the feeling and not understanding it. "Um, so… you're an æther user,  
too, huh?"

Darien nodded, accepting the blatant change of topic; he was a bit unsettled by the  
spark as well. But unlike Serena, he knew exactly what it was—he was all too familiar  
with it, really. The unsettling thing was that for the first time ever, he wasn't quite sure  
whether he welcomed it or not.

* * *

**AN : **Review please, people :D


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